Actions and Works

Daily actions and works

The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today. St. Francis of Assisi.

A faithful Christian, illuminated by the rays of grace like a crystal, should enlighten others by his words and actions, with the light of the good example.  St. Anthony of Padua

We are called to love our neighbors, to serve them, and to preach them the good news of the redemption and the love of God, every moment and every place, through our example.  Not all of us are called to preach about love in sermons, but we all are called to preach about love with our words, expressions and conduct. Joy is an obvious result of the Grace of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our souls, and there is no greater signal of joy than a smile. Therefore, except in those express situations that might require other behavior, we must express ourselves always and everywhere with a smile. Say hello and smile to your friends, to those that you know, and to those you don’t know, to those that you sympathize with and those that you don’t sympathize with.  Never be caught without a greeting and a smile on your face.  At home, at school, at work, in the street, don’t be afraid to first say hello and then smile, because a smile should be always the characteristic that points to you as a Christian committed to the love of Jesus and of your neighbors and the salvation of all souls.

It is not proper for one is who in the service of God, to have a sad face or a fearful gaze. St. Francis of Assisi.

The smile should be the magnet that attracts others to the Christ that that lives in you. Make an effort to smile, to take your joy to other hearts, because by smiling you take that Christ in your heart to the hearts of those that surround you. A smile is contagious and leads to a better understanding between people.  A smile, a word of encouragement, an act of understanding or sympathy, or a good example constitute part of the daily preaching of the Christian and a simple, yet efficient way of taking Christ to other hearts.

Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words” St. Francis of Assisi.

For those who love, nothing is too difficult, especially when it is done for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Saint Ignatius

Rejoice at home, at school, at work, in the street. Wherever you are, rejoice and thank God for what you have, for what you have achieved, whether it be a little or a lot, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you live every moment, and every day you live, committed to the love of God and your neighbor. You don’t have to be at church, or in a convent. Rejoice there where you are, rejoice for being who you are because you are unique. There is no other being like you in the entire Creation. Bless God every moment and everywhere, make an effort to do your work, your studies, or whatever you are doing, joyfully and in the best possible way. Remember that greatness does not consist in achieving great things at some point in life, but in achieving little things every day with joy, with your best effort, your best disposition, and your best desire. Without expecting compensation from anyone, because you don’t need it. God that lives in you and sees everything and knows everything, will take it into account.  May God bless you, give you joy and allow you to smile always.

All the good things we do, we must do for the love of God, and all the evil things we prevent today, we must prevent for the love of God.  St Francis of Assisi.

Happy are those who have no greater joy than the words and works of the Lord. St Francis of Assisi.

Don’t let the daily obstacles and setbacks of life remove the joy from your soul and the smile from your face. Remember that everything passes, but that the infinite God that lives within you is eternal. The Holy Spirit of God is the source of joy and happiness. Always look for that God within you in the difficult moments and let Him rejoice your soul and your spirit. If any happening steals momentarily your joy, try to recover it.  Be patient if joy does not return immediately. Be constant looking that joy and happiness within you. Smile, even if you need to make an effort. Little by little joy and happiness will return.

Remember the words of St. Teresa of Avila:

Let nothing disturb you.

Let nothing frighten you.

All things pass away.

God never changes.

Patience obtains all things.

They who have God

lack nothing.

God alone is enough.

Likewise, Saint Paul exhorts us in his Letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

“The devil gladdens, above all, when he is able to steal the joy from the heart of those who serve God.”   St. Francis of Assisi.

We must avoid worrying unnecessarily, above all, we must avoid worrying for what already happened.  We need to untie the memories that tie us to the past in order to be happy in the present. The past has already passed and we can do nothing to change it. Forgive yourself and those who have offended you, forgive your errors and the errors of others and forget what is already in the past.

We shouldn’t worry needlessly for the future either, although we make plans for the same. Planning is not worrying. Worrying clouds our mind and does not allow us to live happily and with determination in the present. We must make the most of every instant as circumstances allow. Therefore, we must live free of worries and place all our trust in God.  Remember the words of the Lord:

“That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and what you are to wear. Surely life is more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, however much you worry, add one single hour to your life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his royal robes was clothed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the wild flowers growing in the field which are there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you who have so little faith? So do not worry; do not say, "What are we to eat? What are we to drink? What are we to wear?" It is the gentiles who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God's saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34